§ Mr. Rifkindasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether he will state the Government's policy on the sale of oil from the North Sea to Israel;
(2) whether he has received any request to agree to the sale of oil from the North Sea to Israel; and what reply he has given to any such request; and the reasons for such a reply.
§ Mr. BennI would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunbartonshire, West (Mr. Campbell), on 31 January about disposal of UKCS crude in the conditions of shortage caused by the fall in Iranian oil production.—[Vol. 961, c.461.] In these circumstances, the Government consider that our obligation must be to our fellow members of the IEA and EEC and to any country with which there is an existing pattern of trade in North Sea crude. The oil companies are aware of the guidance.